The 12-acre Kowalsky family farm in Westport’s Greens Farms section—known as Peaceful Valley Farm—is on the market for $16.2 million and the Town of Westport has expressed an interest in acquiring it.
Peaceful Valley Farm is for sale for $16.2 million. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The mostly open property nestled among multimillion dollar residences went on the Multiple Listing Service last week. The offering said it was suitable for a “gentleman’s farm or possible subdivision.”
“All I can say at the moment is that we have been in contact with representatives of the family and have expressed an interest in possibly acquiring it,” said First Selectman Gordon Joseloff. “But it’s a steep price.”
Complete with wandering goats, farm buildings and a small man-made pond, the property is in the heart of Greens Farms at 109 Morningside Drive South and is bordered by Clapboard Hill Road and Turkey Hill Road South.
Joseloff said he has had department heads looking at the property since last month and has discussed the possible purchase with members of various town boards.
“The property was identified by the Land Acquisition Committee in its June 2000 report as of medium to high priority for future acquisition,” he said.
“I have been in touch with a number of committee members who have affirmed their interest in the town acquiring it.”
The committee identified possible uses as open space, a park, or athletic fields, he said.
During a Feb. 7 meeting with the Board of Finance, Joseloff said he had put $15 million in the town’s 2007-08 capital forecast for undetermined projects and mentioned land acquisition as one possibility.
The forecast also called for $15 million to be possibly spent in each of the following two years as well as the town looks at possible developments on Baron’s South, Jesup Green, and in the downtown area, he said.
Acquiring the Kowalsky property as open space will repay the town many times over. Acquiring it and finding a way to maintain it as an organic farm would suit the extraordinary place Westport is.
or a parking garage. What’s a 100,000 square feet between friends.
When the town considered buying Longshore in the sixties, the million plus dollars for it seemed outrageous. Try to buy a facility like that now in Fairfield County. It would make the farm seem like a bargain.
If the town does not acquire this property, it will be a great loss to all.
I would like to think that, if the town does acquire this property, it would be used to fill some of the town plan development needs that exist, such as a community center or Y, although, given its location, that may not be practical.
Here’s an idea. Why don’t Paul and Michel buy the property and use it as an organic farm to grow produce to be used in their Dressing Room Restaurant ( a bit like Alice Waters has done for years at her world-renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California)? The small animals could remain on the farm for families to visit, the open space would be retained, and Westport would gain another super attraction to add to the other places that make our town so desirable.
Just a thought, and maybe a better price could be negotiated for something like this.
In response to Lynn Hymans post.
I do not think Westport has a burning need for anymore large homes/developments. As of this afternoon (2/20) there are 124 homes on the market in Westport for over $2 MM. And for more detail there are 65 homes on the market for over $3 MM.
That is sufficient supply for about five years.
Mr. Woods suggestion would be the most appropriate use as would gardens or other environmentally friendly usage. Housing of any sort and playing fields would not by the best usage of the land, though playing field would be less intrusive.
Actually, the three roads that touch the property are minor/side streets. Open space like this is priceless, okay, $16.2 MM (not so priceless). We know that an asking price is not a closed price.
Since we also have strong demand for railroad parking, how about we just pave the thing? Or put in a multi-layer parking structure? Add some parking meters and we have a working biz model. Designated Open Space has all that nasty paperwork for approval, too.
To protect this open space is to long and a long term, decades in the future kind of planning. Consider Rippe’s Orchard and what a great space that was. Now it is just non-descript condos. Westport’s charm has been and should be having Open Space.
I know my posts are a bit strident, but I do feel strongly about this. (okay, no more coffee for me)
Housing is something Westports has much of, affordable housing is a vastly different story. To protect the town from developers with unhealthy proposals, why not buy the property and sell off a portiion specifically for affordable housing to a developer with incentives to build only those and those within town guidelines for such. The remainder could be garden, zoo, or a combination of things of benefit to the entire community, I don’t think pure open space is a glaring need right now.
This property is one of several which the town may have the opportunity to purchase over the next year or so. The selectmen and the town departments need to assess what the town needs are and which properties (including already owned property) are most appropriate for what use and which property (ies) could be sold to partially or wholly offset the cost of purchasing more desireable property. The Kowasky property is unique in Westport. Whatever use the town would consider for the property needs to fit in with the neighborhood. The town does not have a limitless ability to borrow funds, so that priorities need to be set before we consider purchasing one property or another especially in light of the high capital forecasts presented by the town very recently.
Charlie Haberstroh
Board of Finance
Oh please no,
This is not the property for the Y this property connects Turkey Hill with Morningside Drive, two of the most beautiful streets in town, and to stick a massive building in the middle of this beautiful residential neighborhood would be a travesty.
Here we have AAA 2 acre zoning and it is an ideal spot to have beautiful homes with wonderful landscaping. And the lots are big enough to compliment & support the architecture.
I urge the town to pass on this property and let it be built in accordance with the Zoning regulations now in place.
I read with interest of the pending sale of Peaceful Valley Farm, aka Kowalsky property, the same 10 acres that I had mentioned at my formal presentation to the Parks & Rec Commission late last year. This farm was identified as one of the targeted properties to be acquired in the 1987 & 1997 town plan. As a farm property, they would have received and benefited from years if not decades of tax abatements.
This is an incredible resource that should not be squandered in the name of progress & additional McMansions. There is a natural area for playing fields, a fabulous Community Garden, affordable housing ( I’m one of many whom earn too much, yet not enough). There could be inclusion of a small farm, open space etc